Carousel
by Supreme Distraction
Summary: It was a vicious cycle that she didn't have the strength to break—a carousel ride that kept spinning and spinning. Rikku's breath hitched as the stoic warrior strode past them, presumably headed towards her private quarters at the rear of the Celsius. She knew the gleam in those blood-red eyes and she shivered, part of her afraid and the other… "I-I'll be right back, Yunie…"


Thanks go to **GrimGrave **for beta'ing this and also for presenting me with this pairing. This is something a little darker than my usual work and also my first foray into the X-2 universe. Let's see how I did, shall we?

**Disclaimer: **Square Enix is the bomb diggity. They own ALL the _Final Fantasy_ and I do not.

**Carousel/Linkin Park**

_She can't hide, no matter how hard she tries_

_Her secret disguise behind all the lies_

She was having cravings again. Somehow, the mere sight of the stoic Gullwing always had that effect on her and, even though she feared the way she would be judged by her friends—theirtravel companions aboard the airship known as the _Celsius_—she just couldn't help herself.

It was wrong for her to feel this way, unnatural of her to react in such a wanton manner. Her body had no business heating with a mere glance from almond-shaped crimson orbs and it certainly shouldn't shudder anticipatorily every time long fingers drummed against the wooden surface of the railing that curved beneath them.

Above all, she shouldn't have been so utterly distracted by the mere presence of the other woman that she had to ask her companion to repeat herself for the fiftieth time since beginning their conversation. It was ridiculous and yet, here she was, smiling apologetically at Yuna and saying hesitantly, "Uh… I didn't catch that."

The Summoner, for her part, just seemed concerned. "Is everything okay, Rikku? You seem distracted."

Understatement. The blonde forced another smile, fidgeting restlessly as brilliant emerald orbs flicked to the bow where a tall, silver-haired Warrior decked out in a complicated leather outfit that revealed more than it protected leaned over the railing, staring contemplatively out at the sea of treetops as they hurtled past.

She knew Paine knew that she knew she was up to no good… wait, what?

Long story short: the woman was crafty like a fox and everything she did, she did with purpose … Even something so innocent-seeming as enjoying the view.

Struggling valiantly to pull herself from her borderline paranoid thoughts, the Al Bhed made a vague, airy gesture. "Anywho, I was thinking we should definitely drop by the next town and find a safe place to stash our loot."

They had been sphere hunting in old, spooky temples and vast, dusty plains so civilization would be a nice change of pace.

"Alright, I'll have Tidus prepare the _Celsius_ for landing." D'aww… If the way the Summoner's entire face brightened with the mention of her boyfriend wasn't just the cutest darn thing. It was completely different—so sweet, so…_ tame_—from the way Rikku reacted whenever someone mentioned— "… Paine."

The blonde flinched, scrambling to find sense in the confused jumble her thoughts had been reduced to. "Huh?"

Yuna gave her an odd look. "Paine looks lonely. Maybe we should go keep her company?"

"She's a big girl. She'll be fine," the Al Bhed mumbled, tucking a slender braid behind her ear.

She swore she saw the silver-haired woman smirk as she suddenly abandoned her post and headed below deck and that only made the Thief that much more fidgety.

_At night she cries away her pride with eyes shut tight, staring at her inside_

Rikku knocked on the door to the bathroom, hopping from one foot to the other in what Yuna had

She really, _really _had to pee.

Whoever was in there had better get out _right_ _now_. The door opened and so did her mouth, scathing words on the tip of her tongue, but she snapped it shut when she was faced with a quirked eyebrow and that unreadable dark gaze.

Rather than comment, she went to step past Paine…

Only to be stopped by the arm that connected with the door frame right in front of her.

She bristled, though the reaction was so much less effective with the way her expression became agitated. "Move it. I gotta pee."

The Warrior's larger form lorded over her, trapping her between it and the metal wall of the narrow corridor, and the blonde released a tiny, fearful, '_Eep!'_ as she wilted beneath that intense crimson stare.

Paine leaned forward, slowly, giving Rikku's heart time to attempt to pound its way out of her chest as emerald orbs grew wider and wider and, at the last second when full lips nearly met the younger woman's, she tilted her head to the side, saying huskily into her ear, "I don't enjoy this little game of yours."

A tongue flicked against the shell of her ear, hot and wet, and she inhaled sharply, shivering as goosebumps rose on her skin.

Then, the older woman was gone, leaving her with a curiously empty sense of disappointment. She had wanted that kiss—wanted the intimacy it suggested—but that was apparently asking for too much.

After all, Paine only wanted one thing from her.

* * *

Bed time.

The inn wasn't exactly the lap of luxury, but the warm, sudsy bath she had taken earlier had certainly made up for the cramped little cot (it could hardly be called a bed) she would be bunking down in tonight. At least it didn't sway with every breeze like the hammocks they had slept in aboard the _Celsius _before her father had remodeled it to make it a bit more comfortable for his delicate little Al Bhed flower.

Rikku toweled her hair dry, combing her fingers through damp flaxen locks, and slid on a tank top. She yawned mightily as she exited the bathroom, thrusting her thumb towards it to indicate to Yuna that it was her turn to use it, and fell face-first into clean-pressed sheets.

She was out like a light before the Summoner could even get a chance to complain that she had used up all of the hot water.

_All her friends know why she can't sleep at night_

_/ Rikku moaned, the throaty sound petering out into a whine as the touch relinquished, warm hands no longer grabbing her roughly, possessively._

"_What gives?"_

_That dark chuckle made the fine hairs at the nape of her neck stand on edge and she shivered like a lamb to slaughter. Ironic considering how wolf-like her partner was._

_She waited, but received no answer to her question… Not that that was unusual._

_What was unusual was how hot she was and how wet the sweetspot between her legs was as it throbbed with want. Why was she so horny, anyway?_

_She was yanked from her thought by a palm smacking firmly against the rounded curve of her bottom and she yelped, spine instinctively arching to offer herself to the other woman._

_More. She needed more._

_The spanking continued, the solid sound of flesh on flesh echoing in the cramped space, each collision punctuated by a moan from the bound Al Bhed. When at last the assault halted, excitement dribbled down Rikku's inner thigh and she trembled, her ass on fire. A warm, wet tongue swirled soothingly over cherry red skin and she jerked forward, her throat constricting as she fought the urge to beg for the fingers she knew would eventually find themselves into her snatch—two then, four—and take her to the torturous edge of pleasure again and again before finally allowing her to climax._

_She refused to give the woman the satisfaction._

_Without warning, her partner skipped right over two fingers and thrust four into tight heat, sheathing them up to the second knuckle and stretching them apart so that the blonde saw stars, her own digits scrabbling at the stark white sheets beneath her in a futile attempt to ground herself as she howled her approval. / _

_All her family askin' if she's alright_

"Rikku? Rikku!"

The Al Bhed stirred, sitting bolt upright and releasing a pained hiss as she knocked heads with her brunette ship mate.

_Ow… Owowowowowowow. _"Shit. Sorry, Yunie."

Wait… She took a quick look around: collection of Dress Spheres, general clutter, bits and pieces of Machina she had been tinkering with—yup, this was her room. What was Yuna doing here?

The girl in question shook her head, holding a hand to her temple. "Don't worry about it. I heard you cry out in your sleep—were you having a bad dream?"

Bad? No, far from it. And not actually a dream, but a memory. But she couldn't exactly divulge the details of her latest nocturnal romp to her innocent cousin.

"Yeeeaahh… Really bad, actually. Everyone died to Sin and, um, stuff."

"Oh, Rikku, that's terrible." As she was swept into a warm hug, the blonde felt her heart grow heavy with lead-like guilt and she sagged, wishing dearly that she could rid herself of her perversions. Would Yuna still be there to comfort her if she knew?

… She really needed to change her pajama bottoms.

_All she wants to do is get rid of this hell…_

A hand brushed innocently up against the curve of her bottom, but Rikku shot Paine a glare nonetheless. The contact could have been entirely unintended, but she wasn't taking any chances. "Watch it, will ya?"

"Apologies." Humor glinted in ruby red orbs and, suddenly, the blonde needed to get the hell out of here. "It was an honest mistake."

"Y-yeah." Rather than turn tail and flee, she summoned all her courage, puffing out her chest. "Make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Of course."

The Warrior's chuckle as she brushed past the younger girl was dark and rich like chocolate and damnit all if it didn't make the Al Bhed want her even more.

_Well, all she's got to do is stop kidding herself._

She wouldn't go running to Paine again. She was stronger than this. She wasn't going to let the woman win this "game" of hers just to prove that she was big and bad.

Nope.

Their exchanges in the privacy of the swordswoman's room were mutually beneficial… But then they weren't. Because, even if the carnal pleasure that Rikku experienced was the best thing ever, the disappointed throb of her heart after the Warrior dismissed her was nowhere near worth it.

With a derisive snort she sharpened her knife for the umpteenth time, turning the weapon this way and that to examine the already pristine blade. By now, they could probably peel the armored skin off an Adamantoise before the beast even realized it was naked and unprotected.

It was better not to think—at all, really.

The blonde hefted its weight, sighing as she let it fly; it embedded itself in the dart board across the room, right next to the head of a certain spiky-haired warrior as she entered the room. She tilted her head to examine the projectile, completely unconcerned as to how close it had come from giving her a haircut, and reached up to pry the weapon from the corkboard. She sauntered over to the Thief, offering the knife to the younger woman.

"Are you following me or something?" Rikku asked suspiciously as she accepted the object.

Paine scoffed, leaning on the hand she had rested the wooden table the Al Bhed was using as a seat and her closeness was a reminder that they were very, very alone.

Being alone with Paine wasn't something she could handle at this very moment. Not with the way her entire body hummed with the need for…

Bright green eyes dropped to the Warrior's well-manicured fingers.

Crud.

"Something wrong?" that smoky voice drawled, making her flinch.

"Everything's great," she squeaked.

_She can only fool herself for so long…_

The ceiling was mighty interesting today.

Rikku's hand slid slowly down her front and into her panties, finding slick heat and curling into the pulsating depths of her sex.

Yup… Nothing going on here.

Her fingers twitched when something thudded above deck, but that didn't concern her right this very minute.

Perhaps if she rid herself of her little problem, her stupid brain would stop being all stupid and gross and maybe, just maybe, she could kick this dirty little addiction before anyone was the wiser.

_She can only fool herself for so long…_

With a frustrated sigh, the Thief fell onto her back, her climax so much less satisfying without—

'_NOPE. NOT THINKING IT. LALALALALALA.'_

_She can only fool herself for so long…_

They were out on the deck again—mostly because Rikku needed the space to be able to pace and fret at her leisure. Her cousin watched, perplexed, as the blonde muttered to herself, stalking back and forth like a caged Coeurl, but she didn't push the Al Bhed to speak.

When it came to the Thief, patience went a long way…

The door to the galley opened with a creak and Rikku's breath hitched as the stoic warrior strode past them, presumably headed towards her private quarters at the rear of the _Celsius. _She knew the gleam in those blood-red eyes and she shivered, part of her afraid and the other… "I-I'll be right back, Yunie…"

… Paine knew that better than anyone.

_She can only fool herself!_

The walk of shame. How many times had she come down this narrow corridor, holding her breath and trying desperately to talk herself out of opening the metal door that loomed threateningly—promisingly—at its end?

Too many.

And just like every time before, she failed to talk some sense into herself and let herself into the belly of the beast.

_(I'm too weak to face me)_

Sometimes, she had to wonder if mind-reading was one of the talents of the woman's favourite Dress Sphere. How else could Paine have known that she would break with that last look?

How else could she have known to leave her door unlocked and, upon hearing it open, to command, "Strip" in that no-nonsense husk that made the Al Bhed immediately begin to unbutton her shorts.

Why did Paine have such power over her? It just didn't make any sense.

Rikku hung her head, ashamed, as the silver-haired swordswoman came to stand in front of her, dark gaze a mite less dispassionate than usual. She had changed to the Trainer Dress Sphere and all she had on was the spiked leather collar. There was also a whip in her hand, a fact that made the Thief's body flush with eager heat.

… Damn.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed by your body's needs. They're natural."

She looked up, emerald bravely meeting ruby, but whatever she had been planning to say melted away with the flicker of emotion she caught sight of: annoyance. Had her avoidance actually affected the brusque older woman? She had just thought that all the teasing and suggestiveness had all been part of the predator's game, but now she was beginning to suspect that Paine actually… wanted her.

The thought floored the blonde and she missed her chance to avoid the kiss that totally and utterly shocked her. They had never kissed before this moment. It had always just been screwing and moans and hard bites around her neck and clavicle (thank goodness for the scarf she always wore), but never full-on mouth-to-mouth contact.

If her brain hadn't already short-circuited at the sight of Paine's bare torso, it had certainly shorted out now and she swore she could smell the smoke wafting from her ears.

The kiss ended more quickly than she would have liked, but it was something… right? She stared searchingly at the Warrior's lovely face, but it had returned to its usual mask of indifference.

"Paine, do you… Do you do this with Yunie, too?" Because that meant Rikku was expendable. O-oh, and the woman should keep her mitts off her cousin!

"Don't be stupid."

She supposed she _was_ pretty stupid.

_I never know just why you run…_

Pleasure. Paine's hands were like live flames, licking along her flesh and reducing her bones to mush.

Rikku bit back a moan, her hips pumping, as the older woman's fingers filled her, pressing into her pulsating walls just _so—_

"_Ah…!_"

The blonde wriggled against the ropes that tied her forearms together, lifting her bottom into the air so that the already perfect angle of penetration was even more mind blowing. That same rope was also looped around her neck, which was new, keeping her face pressed firmly into the sheets.

The first lash of the whip was painful, sure, but beyond the white hot agony that bled across her skin was a thrill of satisfaction. A feeling of vindication.

She deserved this. She deserved to be punished.

_So far away…_

Two… Three… Four lashes.

Blood dripped along her spine, painting a crimson pattern across tanned skin. It was wet and warm, but it felt cool in comparison to how hot her slender body was, writhing on the tips of Paine's fingers. Sweat dripped into her eyes, stung long, thin cuts.

Fingers thrust _deep_, curling within and erasing all rational thought with the skillful way they found every nook and cranny that made her wail.

Five… Six… Seven lashes.

She was so close… Orgasm built with alarming intensity, making her vision dim and her muscles quiver. The noises that left her were animalistic—rough, hoarse, desperate.

Every lash after didn't even register in Rikku's muzzy brain. The sheets were becoming pink beneath her, but the searing pain had become a dull throb in light of the pleasure swelled in her core, threatening to explode with the fiery destructive power of a Bomb. One final strike from the whip sent her screaming over the edge, her clenching muscles creating a fresh wave of agony that sent a smaller secondary wave of ecstasy washing over her.

_Far away from me._

The White Mage Dress Sphere allowed Paine to cast _Cure_, the spell doing its best to knit together broken flesh. It did nothing to Rikku sat up, not daring to look at her companion's face, once the warm glow had faded.

She knew the warrior's crimson gaze would be anything but.

Her bindings were undone and she trembled, her heart beating quickly, hopefully. Hope became heavy, leaden disappointment when the other woman said dismissively, "Now go."

_I never know just why you run… _

"Rikku? Why are you crying—!?"

The blonde waved away the Summoner's concern, flinching when Yuna gaped at the red marks around her wrist, and ducking her head to hide the shame in dark green eyes. She had broken again. After all of that prideful posturing, she had let Paine have her way.

It was a vicious cycle that she didn't have the strength to break—a carousel ride that kept spinning and spinning as the cheerful music lost its innocence and warped into something darker, more depraved.

Rikku skidded to a halt outside her door, hurriedly unlocking it and slamming it shut once she was inside. For all the distance she placed between them, she knew she would be inexplicably drawn back.

It was only a matter of time.

_So far away…_

In her room, Paine chuckled, rinsing her hands of her recent tryst in the sink in her bathroom. She splashed water onto her face, smirking at her reflection in the mirror when she straightened.

The Al Bhed was confused… Good. As long as she was off-balance and uncertain, she would continue to seek the silver-haired woman out. As long as she thought there was a chance their carnality could mean something more…

The smirk widened.

She had seen the doubt in emerald orbs, but that simple kiss had wiped it clean. Rikku was so young, so naïve. Let her come to the older woman for answers.

_Far away from me._

**-End-**


End file.
